Wednesday, February 17, 2016

"The Anniversary"

Ok, so I started this goofy little blog about a year ago. It was all just on a lark, really. I'd had a few friends who tried to encourage me to publish what I call my "rhymy word things" and a blog seemed a good stepping stone.

Since then my page turned into rants about society, little excerpts of my life and tales of Grog, my alter ego/caveman brain. I've enjoyed writing these posts and I've enjoyed the feedback I've received from you guys. Thank you for your support.

Since this is like some "first anniversary" I figured I'd go back to my roots for a bit. I've had some readers recently ask if I still write poetry and I've even been contacted about co-authoring (or co-publishing or whatever that's called) a book of poems.

In a few months I may even publish (after a year of talk) my own collection for those of you twisted enough to like my poetry. (Wow, I keep referring to it as "poetry" which sounds weird to me).

Anyway, this long introduction was really just about plugging a soon-to-publish book or two and to explain why I suddenly decided to post a poem again. Who knows, maybe I'll just post a random one sometimes when I'm too lazy to write an actual blog post.

I can't imagine any of you aren't familiar with this story but I figured I'd offer my spin on it:

"The Man of Tin"

We took a trip down that road paved in yellow gold

Through poppy fields and their sleeping curse

Into the City where we'd find the answers we were told

I can't decide which part of the journey was the worst

There were angry trees and monkeys who could fly

A witch who was ruthless, cold and mean

There were a couple times we thought we would die

But the girl kept thinking an end of a rainbow could be seen

So we kept moving forward until we finally got here

"The great wizard", they said, "would fix things for you."

Then you laughed, you pointed and only your ridicule was sincere

Saying you'd help us only if this one task we'd do

"Kill the witch and bring me her magic broom"

You said it like it was it was just an everyday chore

So off we went to her castle and snuck into her room

We soaked her with water and she is no more

You may fool the scarecrow and lion but not this man of tin

Hiding behind your curtain you think you can judge us all

You sent us away not expecting us to come back again

But we surprised you and it was the witch not us to fall

The scarecrow, that brainless fool, you could outsmart

He couldn't see that you were nothing more than a fake

And fell for your smoke and mirrors from the very start

You had no intellect to give and only trust to take

The lion, he lacked both courage and conviction

So he was easy for you to take advantage of

He came to you asking that you cure his cowardly affliction

So you pretended he was brave for the sake of love

The girl and her dog were lost, this much is true

And in your balloon you could've offered them passage home

But when it came time you claimed there wasn't room for two

So you tried to float away, leaving her feeling all alone

But I'm that Tin man whose heart is black as coal

So I'll burn your Emerald City down with laughter in my eyes

As I shoot you down and show them a Wizard was only a role

For all your parlor tricks you have no magic, only lies

*I feel I should mention here that I know I left 2 elements out. So I can address them if you'd like.

A) the Munchkins. Yes, they pointed the girl in the right direction. But they also knew she was alone in a strange land with a trip in front of her that was going to take several days. You'd think they'd have packed her a little lunch or something.

Those midgets essentially kicked her out of their village after a song and dance and sent her into the woods to starve to death.

B) then there's this "good witch" Glenda. She knows the girl just wants to go home but waits until AFTER she's nearly killed several times to go "yeah, you could've gone home right after you get here." Seriously?! How good IS this witch? She watches Dorothy and the gang go through all of this stuff and smiles when she tells Dorothy she had the ability to leave all along. Glenda sounds like a sadist to me; I'm not sure how "good" I would call her.